Twista's Genre:

Gangsta Rap, Rap, Midwest Rap

Biography

Chicago rapper Twista made his recording debut on "Po Pimp," a platinum single by his fellow Windy City rappers Do or Die. Following "Po Pimp," Twista signed with Big Beat/Atlantic and released his debut, Adrenaline Rush, in the summer of 1997. Mobstability followed a year later, and in 1999 Twista returned with Legit Ballin'. In fall 2002, he hooked up with Ludacris, Jay-Z, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and other rap moguls for the recording of his third album. Kamikaze came out at the beginning of 2004 and promptly hit the Billboard 200, riding the impetus of his number one hit single "Slow Jamz." In 2005, he returned with the album The Day After and the hit single "Girl Tonite" with Trey Songz. Two years later, Adrenaline Rush 2007 appeared. After forming his own label, Get Money Gang, in 2008, he released the album Category F5 in 2009. The following year brought The Perfect Storm, which featured guest appearances from both Chris Brown and Tia London. Then, in 2013, it was reported that Twista had begun sessions for a ninth studio album. Titled The Dark Horse, the record arrived in August 2014. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

AOL Radio Stations Twista is Featured on (10)

On paper, Drake sounds like a very unlikely hip-hop star. Born Aubrey Drake Graham to a Jewish family in suburban Toronto in 1986, Drake was as a successful actor on the TV series, ‘Degrassi: The Next Generation.’ After releasing mixtapes that caught the attention of Lil Wayne, Drake’s career only blew up from there. These are Drake’s biggest hits and deep cuts, along with songs from his influences, collaborators -- and even a very famous girlfriend. This is Drake: DNA.

Masters of Hip Hop is the ultimate collection of the most important artists in the genre. Our curators have loaded it up with every pivotal artists currently in the game--with a healthy dose of the legendary MCs that got the whole ball rolling.

Eminem is a very intimidating artist to address for Slacker’s DNA series. Not because of his persona and aggressive nature, but because he’s so prolific, so diverse, and his legacy is not even close to fully written. He is one of the greatest artists of all time, and he will be viewed as such for generations to come. On this station, we explore Marshall Mathers’ musical family tree. His Detroit roots, close relationships with D12 and Royce tha 5’9, collaborators, production work and significant legacy. This is Eminem: DNA

From his beginnings on 1992’s summer jam “Rump Shaker” by Wreckx-N-Effect to his 7 Grammy wins and Oscar nomination, Pharrell Williams is one of the most talented and prolific renaissance men in recent music history. He’s a singer, rapper, producer, fashion icon and designer, and he has played a significant role in several major musical milestones. In celebration of his music and legacy, your Slacker curators have put together a comprehensive look at his musical DNA: from his recent solo hits to his work as part of The Neptunes and N.E.R.D., to his signature production work with Jay-Z, Daft Punk, Robin Thicke, Clipse, and even Gwen Stefani. This is Pharrell Williams: DNA!

Heard any news about Kanye West lately? When he’s not busy interrupting awards shows, starting beef on twitter, and marrying into the most talked-about family in Hollywood, Kanye West puts his energy into fashion, art, and his first love, music. Starting out as a producer for artists like Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, Kanye went on to find his voice as an MC and has become one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. The outspoken college dropout has blended styles and bridged genres to create a diverse body of work that pulls its influence from artists both inside and outside the world of hip-hop. We’ve created this station featuring his hits, along with inspirations from A Tribe Called Quest to Radiohead and collaborators like John Legend and Rick Rubin. This is Kanye West DNA.

Lil Wayne was nine years old when he was signed to Cash Money Records in his hometown of New Orleans. He’s gone on to have a hugely successful career, both as an artist and as the CEO of his own imprint, Young Money Entertainment-- he can even count President Barack Obama as a fan. These are Lil Wayne’s biggest hits and deep cuts, along with songs from his influences, collaborators, and artists he’s discovered.

Artists Related to Twista (10)

Prior to gaining mainstream exposure during late 2004 and early 2005 with his single "Still Tippin'," Houston-based MC and self-promoter extraordinaire Mike Jones had long been a stalwart of the Swishahouse label, with a handful of releases under his belt.

Kicking off his career in 2003 with the massive hit "Right Thurr," St. Louis rapper Chingy spent two solid years in the limelight, releasing two platinum-selling albums while becoming a household name thanks to some television appearances and movie roles.

Dubbed "the Mixtape Messiah," Houston's Chamillionaire arrived late as a major-label artist during his city's 2005 takeover of mainstream rap -- the Top Ten Sound of Revenge, released during November that year, followed albums from Mike Jones, Slim Thug, and former Color Changin' Click partner Paul Wall -- but he had already built a loyal following outside the South and received significant print coverage.

Evolving slowly but steadily over the years, Three 6 Mafia began as an exploitative, horror-themed underground hardcore rap sensation ("666 Mafia," get it?) yet went on to enjoy relatively mainstream success years later, eventually winning an Oscar and scoring some major hits.

The Big Tymers, comprised of Cash Money Records co-founder Brian "Baby" Williams and in-house production workhorse Mannie Fresh, were a staple of the label, appearing as featured guests on most of the label's album releases and releasing several albums of their own, including a couple -- I Got That Work (2000) and Hood Rich (2002) -- that were quite successful.